A/N: So, that took a little while, there. But between the holidays, me getting sicker than a dog for a while, and another project that I'm expending quite a bit of time in, it's been hard to devote time to this story. But never you worry! I'm still alive, still writing, and looking forward to Chapter 26. As will most of you when you realize what will happen then. And I've got another story coming down the pipeline, though it'll probably only be a one or two chapter story. It was all inspired by a dream I had about a month ago, and it should be fun.

Disclaimer: This story is pure fiction, and thus is not meant to imply anything about the sexuality of any and all celebrities mentioned. If you are underage, or if you are offended by such stories, leave now!! Also, High School Musical is the property of Disney. It's not mine!

qpqpqpqp

Picking Up the Pieces of a Lost Night

By Squall Thrawn

Chapter 25 - Hail to the Prom King (Or Possibly Queen)

To say that Troy was happy that this year's homeroom teacher wasn't Mrs. Darbus would have been an understatement. Whereas Darbus would've been loudly proclaiming the many virtues of theatre and any upcoming performances of any theatre in what seemed to be a 500 mile radius of Albuquerque, and woe to the person who didn't pay attention, Troy's current teacher seemed not to care whether he was awake or comatose.

Of which the latter case was closer to truth. By the time Troy had finished texting Ryan the night before- he truly had meant to keep his communications with his boyfriend to a few short, but heartfelt messages, but had ended up spending almost an hour texting back and forth with him as they both finished their homework- it had been far too late to get those eight hours that every growing boy needs. And that was even before the unpleasant dreams that had kept Troy tossing and turning all night. Ryan, of course, had been disgustingly perky and cheerful upon arriving at Troy's locker, causing Troy to secretly debate on how to trade his boyfriend in for a different model that wasn't a morning person.

"Troy!" Chad called out, pulling on his friend's sleeve.

"Wha?" Troy asked as he groggily sat up, a piece of paper sticking to his cheek. He quickly pulled it off, looking around in bewilderment.

"Dude, homeroom's over," Chad said, not quite disguising a smirk. "What's with the zombie routine today? Did your parents let Ryan stay the night or something? Did Troy get his freak on, last night?"

"Hardly," Troy said, rolling his eyes, as he got up out of his seat and stretched a little. "My dad wants me to go back in the closet and dump Ryan, and my mother told me that she wished that I'd get married and give them grandchildren. So sleepovers at the Bolton household will be a long time coming."

"Well, that sucks," was Chad's response. The two of them began walking out of the classroom, joining the crush of students heading towards their first period classes. "Well, at least you've got something to celebrate."

"What do you mean?" Troy asked, confused.

"Dude! Did you miss the announcements, too?" Chad asked, amazed. "You were nominated for Prom King! You're competing against yours truly!" he added, smirking. "Oh, and some non-basketballer nobodies."

"And to think you've called Ryan a snob," Troy observed. "So Ryan didn't get a nomination?" he continued, hiding his slight disappointment.

"Nope," Chad said, shaking his head. "Sharpay was nominated for Queen, though." He shuddered. "For once, this is a contest I wouldn't mind losing. You realize that I would have to dance an entire song with her Royal Ice Princess-ship?"

"That's not even a real word," Troy chided him. "No wonder you're always failing English." Reaching his locker, Troy opened it and took out a book he'd forgotten to grab earlier. A folded-up note fell out of the locker.

"Evans sending you love notes, now?" Chad asked, sounding equal parts amused and disgusted. "You guys are getting to be too much."

"It's not from Ryan," Troy said, upon reading the note. He hid a momentary grimace with a smile that Chad didn't seem to recognize as a fake. "This handwriting is way too messy, and I doubt he'd sign the note with 'Your secret admirer.' He makes no secret of how much he admires me," he added, exaggeratingly flexing his muscles.

"Barf," Chad replied succinctly. "Then let's see the note!"

Troy just pocketed it, keeping his smile. "It's just the usual spiel," he said, re-entering the crowd to head to his first period class. "They think I'm the best, and want to do naughty things to my body. You've seen the ones I used to get from girls, even when I was with Gabriella."

"But now you're getting them from guys?" Chad asked, laughing a little. "Only you, Troy. Ryan gets a misspelled insult painted on his locker, and you just get notes from lovestruck boys."

Troy had frowned at the reminder of that first day, and that horrible word painted on Ryan's locker for all the world to see. Not to mention the admission he had been able to coax out of Ryan about the difficult time he was having at East High. And he definitely wasn't going to mention what the note in his hand really said. "You wouldn't be able to keep an eye on him for me, would you?" Troy asked, his voice serious. "I'm a little worried about Ryan; he's said he's still having problems with the student body."

"You don't even have to ask," Chad said, giving Troy a pointed look, as if offended that Troy even felt the need to bring it up. "I already do; I remember that guy from the mall. Zeke knows about that guy, too. So do Kelsi and Taylor. Your boyfriend is safe with us."

"Can you do it a little bit more discreetly than before?" Troy asked, his frown twisting into a little smile. "Ryan doesn't enjoy it when we watch him like a hawk- you know how independent he is." Troy's voice was almost fond, even though he disagreed with Ryan's adamant dislike for people keeping an eye on him. If Troy had his way, Ryan wouldn't even be allowed out in public- too dangerous.

"Aye, aye, sir!" Chad mock-saluted him, his wide grin spoiling the serious tone. Then he changed the subject. "So, are you doing anything Saturday night?"

"Not so far," Troy said, shrugging. "I usually leave my weekends free in case Ryan wants to do something."

"Well, do you think he'd mind if we borrowed you for a night?" Chad pressed him. "The UFC fight is Saturday night, and Zeke's invited a bunch of people over to watch it. Mainly the guys from the team. It would be great to have one last get-together, just us Wildcats, before we graduate."

"Meaning no Ryan?" Troy raising an eyebrow. "Leaving him out again?"

"Hey, if you think your boyfriend is a fan of ultimate fighting, go ahead and bring him along," Chad said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I just figured it probably wouldn't be his thing."

"It isn't," Troy said, knowingly. "He's made his opinions about what he calls pointless fighting rather well-known. Trust me- he'll say no."

"So whadda say, Troy?" Chad asked, pleadingly. "For old times' sake?"

"Pencil me in," Troy said, after a moment's thought. "I'm gonna make sure Ryan doesn't have some big plans for me, first, but barring that, I'm in."

"Yes!" Chad said, pumping his arm. "Bolton's the man!"

"Bolton's a fuckin' fag!" yelled out a voice from somewhere in the crowd.

"Who said that?" Chad demanded, wheeling about. "Fuckin' show yourself, coward."

"Chad, calm down," Troy said, tugging on Chad's arm. "We have to get to class."

"Dude, how can you just let that go?" Chad asked, incredulously. "That's not cool."

"Same way Ryan shrugged it off on Saturday," Troy said, smiling a little. "You don't let the idiots get to you." Then he dropped the smile, his shoulders slumping slightly. "I'm working on that part. It stills hurt, you know. I'm not sure I'll ever get used to that." He looked back, briefly, regretting not going back to find out who the homophobe was. "I try to follow Ryan's example, but I have no idea how he can be so unaffected by that sort of thing." He absentmindedly touched the class ring around his neck, once again. "I just don't understand how people can be so hateful, sometimes. They don't know me, they don't know Ryan. But somehow they can justify hating us that much."

"That's society for you," Chad said, shrugging.

"Meaning you can't change it?" Troy said, a little heat in his voice. First his mother, and now Chad?

"Meaning you can't expect it to change by itself," Chad corrected him, his voice a little louder. "You've got to fight for it. That's what Taylor says, anyway. You and Evans have been a bad influence on her, you know."

"Really? How so?" Troy asked, a little surprised.

"Well, Tay's always been aiming for law school, and I always figured she'd turn that into some important government job or something," Chad said, shrugging. "But now because of the two of you, she's starting to get involved in social activism. She's been calling me all week about the upcoming prom, and what she's had to do to 'remove the bias from an age-old institution that has become rotten at its core and should be completely overhauled.' I don't know what the fuck she was talking about, to tell you the truth. School's almost over, for crying out loud!" The two boys entered their first period class, a class that Troy also shared with his ex-girlfriend, Gabi. She kept her eyes focussed on the front, though, as if she hadn't noticed Troy's entrance. Which was basically the same thing she'd been doing ever since their little agreement last week- Troy wholly approved.

"So you don't know what all prompted all of this?" Troy pressed Chad, still curious. "Did Taylor give you any hints?"

"Not really," Chad said, shaking his head. "But like I said, I think it has something to do with prom."

The bell rang before Troy could say anything else, and the teacher, who was already standing by the chalkboard was a strong hint that Troy wasn't going to find out any more about Taylor's new interests from Chad. No matter. He'd ask her at lunch.

qpqp

"So how's my soon-to-be Prom King doing?" Troy quickly turned around as he heard his boyfriend's familiar tones. It was a beautiful day, and Ryan had suggested the two of them meeting at the rooftop garden for free period. Ryan was standing there with his usual smile on his face, his messenger bag laying off to the side.

"I am deeply touched to be granted this honour, and I would like to thank all of those little people that got me to where I am now," Troy said, doing his best Oscar speech impersonation. "First of all, my publicist, my agent, and my mother and father. Chad Danforth, my brother from another mother, and my buddy Zeke Baylor. And I couldn't possibly leave out Taylor McKessie, whose presence on the Student Council allowed me to be on the prom king ballot, and insured that none of you peons would win. And… that's it."

Troy received a slap upside his head for that one. "Forgetting anybody, Hilary?" Ryan said, threading his fingers through Troy's own. "I thought I was your muse and inspiration, and all that crap. And I am so much better looking than Chad Lowe."

"Oh, ok," Troy said, as if pretending to give in. "And finally to Ryan Evans, for being my 'and all that crap.' I couldn't have done it without him." He received another slap for that one.

"You're a mean one this morning, Bolton," Ryan said sternly, trying to glare at his boyfriend but failing miserably.

"Well, somebody didn't let me get any sleep last night," Troy pointed out as he sat down on a nearby bench. Ryan sat down as well. "I was so tired I actually slept through homeroom; Chad had to tell me about the nominations." He paused for a moment, before continuing in a softer voice. "He did mention that you, umm…"

"I didn't get a nomination," Ryan finished for him. "You sound surprised, Troy; I'm not. I knew the Student Council would find some more upstanding members of the student body that they could nominate. Well, not so much upstanding as straight."

"What about me?" Troy pointed out.

"What about you?" Ryan asked, as if bewildered by the very question. "You didn't think that the great Troy Bolton would actually be snubbed, did you? I'd say you've been on the ballot for the past two years, just waiting for our senior Prom to come around." Ryan's smile was sad. "Different standards, Troy. You're a sports jock, I'm a drama geek."

"Still…" Troy wasn't willing to concede the point, yet. "You deserved it. Way more than… whoever it was that was nominated instead of you."

"What we deserve, and what we end up getting, aren't usually the same thing," Ryan said, his expression more resigned than anything. Then he forced a smile back on his face. "Did you know that they actually suggested putting me on the ballot for Prom Queen? That was Taylor's idea, actually. Can you believe it?"

"Well, if you and I both won," Troy said, trying to see the bright side of that, "that would be alright. Wouldn't it?"

"And if I won and you lost?" Ryan asked. "I'm sure Chad would love to have me on his arm." Then he giggled. "It would almost be worth it to see the look on his face. But I made a promise, so I told them not to consider me."

"Who did you promise?" Troy asked, confused.

"My sister, of course," Ryan said, the tone of his voice telling Troy that he really should've guessed that. "That was one of the caveats for her allowing me to date you. I really didn't want to be known as the Prom Queen of East High, so it was an easy promise to make. By the same token, Sharpay doesn't want to be known as the girl who was beaten by her own brother for the title of Prom Queen. Which she should win easily, considering the fact that she has no real competition. I mean, who would actually vote for Gabriella, when there are all those scandals surrounding her? I can't believe the Student Council actually nominated her; Taylor has some explaining to do."

Troy didn't respond, as he was still reeling for that unexpected bit of news. Why hadn't Chad told him that Gabi was one of the other nominees?

"Troy?" Ryan's voice was worried.

With an effort, Troy brought himself back to the here and now. "Sorry," Troy said, his tone apologetic. "You just surprised me; Chad didn't mention that Gabi was nominated. Does that mean that I might end up stuck with her as my Prom Queen?"

"Not if Shar and I have anything to do about it," Ryan said, fervently. "You're my boyfriend, and that bitch isn't getting her hands anywhere near you."

"Thank God," Troy said, giving the blonde a kiss on the lips. "Right now she's pretending she doesn't know me, which suits me just fine." He gave Ryan another kiss. "You're the only one who gets to put their hands on me."

"Remind me to thank my lucky stars," Ryan said, smirking. "I, on the other hand, have to put up with the clumsy fumblings of a sports jock who's all hands."

"I'll show you 'all hands,' Evans," Troy said, devilishly grinning as he reached towards Ryan.

"Later, Troy," Ryan said, his eyes full of promise. "That sounds like the sort of thing we wouldn't want to rush."

"So, Chad invited me to a UFC viewing party at Zeke's house," Troy said, changing the subject. "You're welcome to come too, of course. I told him that wasn't your thing, though."

"Good call," Ryan said, nodding. "It's really not my thing. But you should go; I don't want to monopolize all your time."

"Chad understands," Troy replied, shrugging. "He knows how it is with new relationships. But thanks, Ryan. Chad said that it would be like the last time that all the Wildcats would be together, and as team captain, I wouldn't want to disappoint them by not showing up."

"Ah, yes. Troy Bolton, goody two-shoes extraordinaire," Ryan said, dryly. "Instead of just saying that you were going to attend this party to hang out with your buddies, you make it sound like by not attending, you're letting your team, your school, and possibly the whole world down."

"Why you gotta hate," Troy complained.

"So, what night is this party of yours?" Ryan asked, ignoring Troy's comment.

"Saturday night," Troy said, smiling apologetically. "I know you usually like to do couple-y things on the weekends; that's why I haven't given Chad an answer yet."

"Hmm…," Ryan said, as if considering it a moment. "I guess it won't interfere with too much." He gave Troy a slight smile. "It's fine, Troy. Go have your fighting party. Just promise me you won't do any fighting of your own."

"Oh God, what did I do wrong, now," Troy said, groaning. "You're giving me the selfless martyr routine; that tells me that you had something planned, and I've managed to fuck it up. Again."

"Did I really do that big of a number on you?" Ryan said, his eyes wide in surprise. "Fuck, I must've messed you around more than I thought. I am so, so sorry." He took one of Troy's hands in both of his own. "I promise, Troy, I'm not going to just fly off the handle over silly little things. It wouldn't be right of me to plan things for you without telling you, then get mad because you made other plans. It comes from being an Evans," Ryan said, ruefully. "And spending all of my life with Sharpay."

"So you did have something planned?" Troy asked, still a little worried, but not as much as before. It was obvious that Ryan had meant it when they got back together at the party, that he was going to work on communicating his problems with Troy.

"My dad wanted to know if you wanted to join him for golf on Sunday morning," Ryan explained, smiling at Troy. "We were all going to spend the day at Lava Springs. But my dad likes to golf hella early on Sundays, so I thought maybe you'd want to spend the night with me, so that it would be easier for all of us."

"Is that the only reason why you want me to spend the night?" Troy asked, his eyebrow arched.

"No," Ryan said, plainly. "I can think of all sorts of reasons for you to stay the night." Then he smiled suggestively, a look that travelled right down to Troy's crotch.

"What… what if I come over Friday night?" Troy managed to suggest, his voice a little hoarse. "You know, dinner, movies, the whole she-bang. And… whatever else you have planned," he added.

"What about the golfing?" Ryan asked, frowning a little. "My dad was really hoping you'd join him."

"I don't have to go to the UFC party," Troy pointed out. "I'm sure Chad would understand."

"Yes, you do," Ryan insisted, firmly. "Do you know what destroys more new relationships than anything else? Lack of balance, Troy. You have to balance your new boyfriend with your old friends and life."

"Ryan, you were becoming a major part of my old life, even before we got together," Troy pointed out. "And we spend plenty of time with Chad and Zeke already. I mean, remember Friday night and all day Saturday?"

"That's different," Ryan argued. "Please, Troy… Just go and watch your fighting show. Trust me, you spend some time hanging out with those guys, and you'll see what I mean." Ryan gently caressed Troy's cheek. "We'll have fun on Friday night."

"And what about your dad?" Troy wanted to know. "You said he was looking forward to having a decent golfing partner."

"We have the entire summer," Ryan reminded him. "I'm sure you'll be able to fit some golf in there, somewhere." He waved it off, carelessly.

'Yeah, right,' Troy wanted to say. 'Maybe I'll find enough time for golf in between the caddying and the food serving.' Maybe this was the right time to ask Ryan about that, actually. "I--" Troy started, but Ryan was already talking.

"How long will your party last?" Ryan asked, looking and sounding like he'd come up with an absolutely brilliant idea.

"Dunno," Troy said, shrugging. "Depends on how long the fights last, and how many people are at the party. Could be late." Foiled again. Why hadn't he brought the summer thing up last night? Or Sunday?

"Oh," Ryan said, visibly deflating. "I was just going to say… if it wasn't too late, you could party with the guys, and then just drive over and spend the night with me. That way you'd be able to golf with my dad tomorrow." Ryan smiled ruefully. "Don't worry about it, though. If you think it's gonna be a late night, that's ok. Some other time, then."

"I could leave the party early," Troy said, not willing to drop the idea completely. Whatever Ryan said, it was obvious that this little outing involving Troy and Mr. Evans, was important to him. Probably had something to do with last night's fiasco with Troy's own parents.

"Troy, you'll be drinking," Ryan countered, frowning. "I don't want you driving if you're drunk."

"I won't drink that much," Troy assured him. "Or I'll do my drinking early, so that I'm sobered up by the time the fights are over. Then I can head over."

"The whole point of this was to spend more time with your team," Ryan said, crossly. "It sorta defeats the point if you leave early and don't drink with your friends."

"I'll have plenty of time to hang out with them," Troy assured Ryan. "We've had these UFC nights before, and half the people leave after the last fight. So that's not a big deal. And we're guys, Ryan," Troy said, smirking. "They're not going to judge me if I leave early to get a little action from my better half."

"At least we can agree on one point," Ryan replied, nodding his head. "I am the better half." He sighed. "You win, though. I'll tell my dad that you'll most likely be joining him on Sunday morning. But," and here he pointed his finger accusingly at Troy. "If you're too tired or drunk to drive, you're staying at Zeke's. I will not have you driving the streets of Albuquerque totally smashed. I like you better in one piece."

Troy just smiled. "And I like you better when you're in my arms, and not halfway across town wondering if I'm ever going to come over. I won't be too late, I promise."

"And Friday night?" Ryan asked, letting his finger trail down Troy's chest suggestively. "Are we still on for that?"

"God, yes," Troy said, shivering. "You couldn't keep me away from that."

qpqp

"So, Ryan actually let you off the leash?" Chad asked Troy, as if he couldn't believe his ears. They slowly made their way through the lunch line, grabbing the occasional item. "Remind me to thank him, later."

"You're exaggerating," Troy complained, putting a fruit parfait on his tray. "Ryan's totally not possessive or anything like that. He was totally sold on the idea of me hanging out with the basketball team."

"Yeah, I believe that," Chad said, raising his eyebrows. "What do you think he'd do if I told him about those notes you've been receiving in your locker today? Don't think I didn't see that second one just before we came to lunch."

Troy resisted the urge to panic; Ryan couldn't find out about the notes. "Don't worry about the notes, Chad," he said, trying to keep his voice calm. "I'll tell Ryan later. We'll just have a nice lunch, and I'll discuss it with him, later. Ok?"

Chad looked suspicious, but Troy was relieved when Chad didn't question him any further, and simply gave him a curt nod. "Don't hurt him," was Chad's surprising answer, before that ready grin reappeared on his face. "I don't want to have to play matchmaker, again. My reputation took a beating for that one."

"Don't worry," Troy said, reassuringly. "I've got everything under control. The two boys reached their usual table, where Zeke and Kelsi were already sitting. They both sat down, Troy making sure there was still plenty of room for Ryan to sit next to him.

"Hey, Troy!" Zeke said, as cheerful as ever. "Kelsi was just telling me about this song she wrote, with you and Ryan in mind. I don't know music, but the idea sounds pretty cool."

"It's sort of like Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture," Kelsi explained excitedly, as she dug out the sheet music. "Only not nearly so long. See, I came up with a theme for you, and another theme for Ryan. And just like the Overture, I'll intersperse the two throughout most of the song, and then end with a big climax."

"Well, that sounds like our nights together," Ryan said, grinning as he sat down beside Troy. "They always end with a big climax."

Troy could see both Chad and Zeke squirming at that comment, but neither of them said anything. "Hey, babe," Troy said, his voice full of happiness, before giving Ryan a kiss on the cheek. "It feels like it's been ages since I've seen you."

"A whole two hours, maybe," Chad muttered.

"What was that, Chad?" Troy asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey, Evans, you totally rock for letting Troy party with us, Saturday night," Chad said loudly, evading Troy's question. "I'd totally invite you along, but Troy said you weren't a fight fan."

"Yeah, thanks but no thanks," Ryan said, distastefully. "I got my fill of fighting in that shower room with those football players. Don't care to witness any more than that."

Troy had gotten another one of those guilty twinges at the mention of that day, though Ryan had long since forgiven him. Ryan seemed to have noticed Troy's reaction, too, as he grabbed Troy's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Can you believe the nerve of the principal?" Taylor said, practically slamming her tray down. She sounded pissed off. "I can't believe he actually made good on his threat. Does he not even care about the decisions made by the Student Body Government?" Then she stopped abruptly, taking in all the faces of everybody sitting at the table, their mouths agape. "Sorry," she said, sheepishly. "I'm a little pissed off. You should've heard me in the Chemistry room this morning, when they made the announcements." She said down at the table, as Chad let off a sigh of relief.

"You're talking about the Prom King and Queen nominations?" Troy asked, his interest piqued. "I was going to-"

"Can you believe we're still using those offensive terms?" Taylor demanded, talking right over Troy. "King and Queen? Might as well say 'welcome to prom, if you're not straight, you don't have a place in our Prom Court.' I swear," she continued, "if I wasn't going to prom with Ben from the academic decathlon team, I'd be tempted to find a girl to go with, just to protest. Of course, I didn't want to be nominated for Prom Queen anyway, but I think I should have the opportunity, anyway." She turned to Troy. "Don't you think so, Troy?"

"Er… yes?" Troy hazarded, hoping that was the right answer.

"Taylor," Ryan said, in a firm voice. The black girl started at his voice. "Could you please inform the rest of us what, exactly, happened? This is like getting the Cliff Notes version."

"Oh…" Taylor managed a slight blush, but plunged on. "Last week, we on the Student Council voted on the nominations for Prom King and Queen. The idea is that we're supposed to know the eight most popular people in our class, and put them on the ballot. Four for each gender. Usually the president has a lot of say in the matter, so I put forth yours, Troy's, and Chad's names for Prom King. And," Taylor added, "I put in Sharpay's name in for Prom Queen. We may not get along, but I thought she deserved the nomination."

"Thanks, Taylor," Ryan said, nodding. "She'll appreciate that."

"I just wished you would've let me put you down for Prom Queen," Taylor said, shaking her head. "It would've served Principal Matsui right if the two of you had won. Democracy in action!"

"I couldn't break a promise," Ryan answered, shrugging. "Especially when the other person is somebody that you live with, and who will take immediate revenge upon you."

"Well, I thought things were going well, and then Matsui stepped in," Taylor said, scowling. "He almost never attends our meetings; he usually doesn't care about what we decide. But he told he just wanted to sit through this one, so that he could 'see our even-handed decision-making process.' What a bunch of bullshit," she snapped, leaving Troy shocked at her language. "He didn't actually tell us not to choose Ryan, but he made it clear that one gay candidate for Prom King was enough, and perhaps even too much. Even he couldn't really refuse to put your name on the ballot, though, Troy," Taylor said, looking grimly satisfied. "Being the premier jock of East High has its perks, and he couldn't really come up with a decent excuse to exclude you."

"So you nominated another boy?" Ryan guessed, looking like he'd eaten something sour. Troy patted his leg, soothingly, giving him a reassuring smile.

"We certainly did not," Taylor said, proudly. "Like I said, I hold a lot of sway in Student Council, and despite a certain member's muttering about a number of nasty rumours about the two of you, I managed to get both of you, and Chad, on the ballot."

"What happened to Ryan's nomination, then?" Troy asked, fiercely, his lunch long forgotten.

"The principal had nice long talk with my vice president after the meeting," Taylor said, darkly. "He's the one who was repeating those rumours. He told Matsui about the boy who came in fifth, and that's who got your nomination, Ryan. That's when he used the line that he, as the principal, had final say in things, and that we were just students. It's bullshit, is what it is." Taylor stabbed her fork into her food, angrily.

"What about Gabi?" Chad asked, looking almost afraid to be asking at all.

Taylor just rolled her eyes. "A couple of people brought her name up, and it just wasn't worth the fight to take her name out of consideration. After all, I couldn't really repeat those rumours about her, even if I knew that a couple of them were true, since I'd just argued that nasty and malicious rumours shouldn't be used against Troy and Ryan."

"Taylor?" Troy waited until it looked like the girl was done venting. "Umm… thanks for everything you did. Even if the principal fucked everything up, Ryan and I still appreciate how much you fought for us." Ryan fervently nodded his agreement.

Taylor's look softened. "You're welcome, you two," she said. "You deserve all the rights that we straight people have. I know Prom King and Queen really aren't all that important in the scheme of things, but for just one moment… I thought I could at least use what little power I have as Student Body President to ensure that gay couples are just as welcome to our prom as straight couples. That our democratically elected Student Council stands for equality, and diversity. Troy was pretty much guaranteed a nomination, no matter what, so he doesn't really count."

"Thanks, Taylor," Troy said, sarcastically. "That makes me feel all warm inside."

"Don't worry, Troy, you matter to me," Ryan said, smiling at his boyfriend. They briefly kissed, as Chad and Zeke both looked away.

"You know what I mean," Taylor said, shrugging a bit. "Like I said, Troy was a foregone conclusion, and I was afraid that people might try to sweep the gay issue under the rug. Nominating Ryan would prevent that possibility."

"Well, I hate to disagree with you, Taylor," Ryan said, apologetically, "but I think that Troy's nomination should be the only issue. Don't get me wrong," he added, defensively, "I appreciate your efforts, and it sucks that my rightful nomination with blocked. They say it's good to be the king, and I would look fabulous in that crown… but you're missing the point. The point is not to push forward a gay candidate, but to push forward a candidate that people can rally behind, regardless of his sexuality. If Troy wins, it won't be just because he's gay. He'll be the prom king of East High, who happens to be gay."

"Hmm," Taylor tapped her finger to her lips, considering Ryan's words. "You could have a point. Troy winning would be a much bigger statement than your nomination, Ryan, and it wouldn't be just an empty gesture." Taylor looked thrilled at the new direction, completely forgetting the fact that she had been the one pushing said empty gesture.

"Plus, I'll be in the spotlight almost as much as Troy," Ryan said, grinning. "I'll be the prom king's date, and while that's not quite the same exalted position as king, I'll take it. Besides, who wouldn't want to be escorted by East High's hottest senior?"

"Me," Chad immediately replied, rolling his eyes.

"So, let's talk strategy," Taylor said, pulling out a small notebook from her purse. "I'm not leaving anything up to chance; if Troy's win is what it takes to make a statement, then we've got to do what we can to help him win."

Troy sighed and put his head down on the lunch table, already sick of hearing about the prom. He just wanted to have a low-key prom, or as much as he could when he had Ryan Evans, another male, as his date. As Ryan had indicated, there was a lot of good that could be done, a statement that should be said, by Troy's winning of the prom king title. But remembering painted lockers, angry remarks and stares, and notes that Ryan could never know about it… Sometimes Troy just wished they could be just a regular couple. No special attention paid to them, or anything of the sort. And whereas most boyfriends would've probably welcomed quiet and not making a fuss, Troy wasn't nearly so lucky- Ryan would probably relish the fight.

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Troy leaned against his locker, closing his eyes slowly as he waited for his boyfriend. Today had been an absolutely exhausting day; it was all prom this, and prom that. And Taylor obsessed with making sure he clinched the title of Prom King.

"Sleeping again, Bolton?" Chad asked, his voice amused. Troy reluctantly opened his eyes back up, to acknowledge his best friend.

"I have to get the sleep in while I can," Troy replied, ruefully. "None of our teachers would let me catch up on my sleep, and Ryan wants us to study together at his place," he explained, sighing. "I just want to drive home and take a nap, and he wants to have a study date."

"Why don't you just tell him you're too tired?" Chad asked, shrugging. "It's his fault you didn't get enough sleep, anyway. Where is Evans, anyway? Thought you weren't gonna let him out of your sight?" Chad added, narrowing his eyes.

"I wasn't, but Taylor commandeered him and started talking prom again," Troy complained, rolling his eyes. "As soon as that subject came up, I told Ryan I had to grab something out of my locker right then, and I was outta there."

"What's your problem with prom?" Chad asked. "It's just another one of those stupid dances that we go to, every year."

"It's more than that, Chad," Troy replied, wearily. "At least, now it is. After all that time Gabi and I spent talking about how perfect our prom was going to be, when we broke up I was going to give prom a wide berth. Especially when I started dating Ryan, because I never thought I'd be out of the closet by the time prom rolled around. But then I came out, and Ryan expected me to take him, and I couldn't very well say no, could I? I know this senior prom thing means so much to him," Troy said, smiling despite himself. "But now this Prom King thing? It's too much. And I know that that will be all Ryan's gonna talk about tonight, when we're studying. Prom this, and prom that, and how great we'll look together in our prom pictures, and how wonderful it'll be to have East High's gay poster boy and primo athlete as the new prom king. Is it too much to ask for, for Ryan and I to have a quiet prom where nobody gives us a second glance?!" Troy asked, plaintively.

"Yes," Chad answered, after thinking about it for a second. "You're not just dating another guy, you're dating an Evans. Sorry, Troy, but you should've known what you were getting into."

"You're right, I should've," Troy agreed, a little bitterly.

"What's gotten into you?" Chad asked, bluntly. "Sometimes, I swear, Troy, you're like two different people. One minute you're the proud boyfriend of Ryan Evans, and the other it sounds like you regret the whole idea."

"That's not true, Chad," Troy strongly protested. "If there's one thing I don't regret, it's being with Ryan. It's just… I kinda impulsively rushed into all this, without realizing everything that was going to happen, as a result of being with him. It's just a bit overwhelming at times." Troy sighed, a slightly melancholic expression crossing his face. "It's nothing I could even begin to prepare myself for. I mean, yeah, when I started going out with Gabi, my life did change somewhat. I started singing in musicals, we made friends with the drama kids and the brainiacs."

"Your point being?" Chad asked, looking a little lost.

"All of that changed for me, but it was all little changes," explained Troy. "I mean, dating Gabi meant less time spent with my friends, and singing took time away from practice and you guys as well. But my little corner of the world was still intact." Troy ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "Now I'm not even sure where my corner of the world is. Ryan Evans came crashing through my world like a meteorite, and I've yet to find all the pieces; I don't even know where to begin, on putting them back together again. My father won't talk to me now, my mother still cries sometimes when she thinks I'm not looking. My basketball future is up in the air, one of my childhood friends fucked my girlfriend behind my back, and I can't even walk down the school hallways without getting weird looks!"

"What the fuck brought this all on?" Chad asked, equal parts confused and angry. "You can't fuckin' tell me that it's all because of prom."

"Prom's just one thing too many," Troy said, his voice soft. "I'm just tired of being thrust into the spotlight, not when I'm still trying to figure things out. How I'm going to patch up my relationship with my parents, what my future is going to be… The last thing I need is a lot of hustle and bustle about a silly title that'll mean nothing in the end."

"Ok, you need to be telling all of this to Ryan, not me," Chad said, after considering Troy's words for a moment. "I mean, I assume you guys don't spend all that time together having…" Chad blushed as if apparently the word sex, and Troy and Ryan, didn't mesh up together in his mind. "Please tell me you do more than that."

"Gutter brain," Troy chastised Chad. "Yes, Chad, we don't spend all of our time… having sex," he added in a louder tone, which provoked more wincing and blushing from Chad. "But it's different, when we're together. When I'm with Ryan, none of this stuff seems to matter that much to me. Last night, my father all but said he wouldn't be able to accept me if I was openly gay. But when I was with Ryan, afterwards, all I could think about was reassuring him, and telling him that it wasn't his fault."

"Then why can't you do that here at school?" Chad shrugged, as if shrugging off the difficulty of that.

"It's harder, here," Troy confessed. "When I'm with Ryan at school, it's easier for me to tune it out. It's still there, but it doesn't matter as much. He gives me the strength to keep going. But I can't always have Ryan here, holding my hand. I have to be able to deal with this, on my own. But the load keeps getting bigger, and I don't know how much longer I can keep carrying it."

"Especially with the 'secret admirer' notes you've been getting?" Chad asked, pointedly. "The ones you've been hiding from Ryan?"

"What about those notes?" Troy asked, trying to stall. Maybe Ryan would come around the corner and save him from this conversation. Strange, when only a few minutes ago Troy would've given anything for Ryan to not come around the corner and hear what Troy and Chad were discussing.

"Well, correct me if I'm wrong," Chad said, pulling something out of his back pocket, "but most notes left by secret admirers have things like 'I love you' or 'Troy Bolton, I want to have your baby.' This is the first one I've read where the main message consists of," and here Chad unfolded the paper he had pulled out of his pocket, "'you and your blonde bitch are going to burn in hell.' That's not a very nice thing to say, you know." Chad sighed. "Why didn't you tell me you were getting these notes?"

"Because they're not important," Troy insisted. "Just stupid people, saying stupid things."

"Things like?" Chad asked.

"Like I said, it's not important," Troy said, trying to avoid answering. Chad just kept staring at him, though, as if trying to bore a hole through Troy's head. "Okay!" Troy finally gave in. "It was just stupid stuff, like 'get the fuck out of here, you homo' or 'queers don't belong here.' Then there was the one I got right before lunch, which actually waxed eloquent. 'All dogs may go to heaven, but all fags go to hell. That makes you worse than a dog, Bolton.' Not exactly what I would've expected from some dumb homophobic jock." Troy sighed. "Ryan and I have been getting these, occasionally, since we came out."

"But four in one day?" Chad persisted. "Unless you're holding out on me, Bolton," he added, darkly.

"Nope," Troy said, lying easily. Chad need never know about the last note; it would just freak him out. And if he admitted to the existence of it, Chad would just insist on hearing what it said, too.

"Four notes, though, eh?" Chad asked, still concerned. "That's a lot for one day, though, isn't it?"

"Yeah," Troy admitted.

"Is that why you're so freaked out about prom?" Chad pressed him. "It's not just all the other stuff you mentioned… you're worried, aren't you? Worried about Evans."

"Very worried." Troy's voice was so soft, Chad had to strain to hear him. "If I hadn't been the number one candidate for prom king, we would've been okay. We would've done our turns on the dance floor, and cut out early before the end of the dance. Now, because of Taylor's grand campaign, we'll be a spectacle in front of everybody at that dance. If something happens to Ryan because of me, I'll…"

"What are you talking about, Troy?" Ryan's voice was clear and strong, but worried. Troy turned to see the concerned face of his boyfriend as Ryan approached him.

"Nothing," Troy said, automatically. He attempted a smile for Ryan, hoping the blonde hadn't heard his comments. The last thing he wanted to do was to worry Ryan. "It's no big deal, Ryan. You ready?" he asked, picking up his book bag.

"Almost," Ryan said, glancing from Troy to Chad. "You really aren't going to tell me what you were talking about?" he finally asked, sounding a little sad to Troy's ears. "I know it's something big, or the two of you wouldn't look so grim." Then he spotted the note that Chad was still clenching in his hand. "What is that?" he demanded.

Troy shot Chad a frantic look.

"It's a… love note!" Chad managed to say, talking fast. "Yeah! I got this in my locker today, and I was just showing it to Troy. The girl who left it seemed kinda desperate, though, and I'm not sure I'm down with going with somebody I don't know at all."

"A love note, eh?" Ryan asked, raising his eyebrow. "That's interesting." He shifted his messenger bag around on his shoulder. "Because it looked a little to me like those notes that people have been leaving in my locker, lately. You know the ones, Troy," he added. "But hey, I'd take a love note over hate mail any day." He motioned with his head for Troy to come with him. "I'll see you later, Danforth. Good luck with your admirer."

"See ya, Evans, Bolton," Chad managed to say, throwing a worried glance at Troy. "Have fun tonight."

Troy and Ryan walked in silence for a time, though Troy could tell that Ryan kept giving him curious glances, as if waiting for Troy to tell him what was really going on.

"So, you'll just follow me to my place?" Ryan said, as they reached their cars. "Unless, of course, you don't feel like studying, anymore."

"I'm sorry," Troy blurted out. "I just didn't want to worry you about those stupid notes; you seemed bothered enough by the ones you were getting. I didn't want to add to that."

"But you're my boyfriend, Troy," Ryan unnecessarily reminded him. "I want to know these things. I don't like it when you keep things like hate mail from me, when I know that it bothers you way more than you'll ever admit to me." He frowned. "Especially when you're willing to tell Chad, but not me."

"I didn't tell Chad," Troy protested. "He found out, and confronted me about it. That note that you saw, he must've gotten out of my locker or something." Troy grimaced. "He caught me pocketing a note this morning, and then another one before lunch. He got suspicious, and Chad's known my locker combination for a long time."

"How many notes have you gotten today?" Ryan asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Five," Troy admitted. "But you don't need to worry about what they actually said- you could probably guess."

"That I could," Ryan said, shaking his head. "Do you think it's connected to the Prom nominations? I mean, five in one day… that's a lot for you, isn't it?" Ryan asked, suddenly worried.

"Yeah, it's a lot," Troy confirmed. "It's more than I've gotten, total, since I first came out last Monday. And one of them specifically mentioned prom." Troy hoped Ryan didn't ask exactly what it said, though, because he really didn't like lying to Ryan.

"So somebody doesn't want you as prom king," Ryan said, speculatively. Then his eyes grew piercing. "What about you, Troy? What do you want?"

"I just want a nice, quiet prom," mumbled Troy, looking down at his feet. "Nothing epic, or earth shattering." He managed to look back up at Ryan, so sure he'd see disappointment in his eyes. "I know you and Taylor are determined to guarantee me a victory, but I just want to go to prom, with my boyfriend, with no hoopla or special recognition."

"Then I'll call Taylor immediately," Ryan said, pulling out his cell phone. "Tell her to cancel the posters and stickers."

"Posters and stickers?" Troy repeated, his voice alarmed. "You're kidding me, right?"

"I am, but Taylor isn't," Ryan admitted. "She's really throwing herself into this whole election thing; I had no idea she was that interested in social activism. But I sorta got the feeling that you wouldn't be comfortable with all of this, so I told her not to do anything unless we cleared it with you."

Troy found himself pulling Ryan in for a fiery kiss. "You have no idea how much I appreciate that, Ryan," Troy managed to say, during their next gasp for breath.

"I know all of this is still overwhelming for you, Troy," Ryan said, drawing back so that he could look the brunette in the eye. "I know it's still really weird for you to be walking down the hallways holding hands with another boy, or taking said boy to your senior prom. After all, it's probably the last thing you ever expected to do." Troy began to protest, but Ryan hushed him. "That doesn't matter to me, Troy. As long as I'm not just your dirty little secret, and that you love me, I can put up with a lot. Even if you wanted to drop out of the Prom King election. That's not nearly as important to me as our relationship." Ryan gently caressed Troy's cheek.

Troy thought about it a moment, biting his lip as he considered Ryan's idea. "I won't drop out," Troy finally said, giving Ryan a brief smile. "We'll just not push forward my candidacy, and if I win, I win. How does that sound?"

"Perfect," Ryan said, his smile gleaming. "Let's hit the road, though, Bolton. The sooner we get to my place and finish our homework, the more free time we have together."

Troy's only response was a smile as he walked towards his truck. More free time with Ryan sounded great to him.

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"Oh God, Ryan," Troy moaned, as he laid facing down on Ryan's bed, the blonde straddling him. "Just a little more… there! Oh, fuck, don't stop!"

"I had no idea you were this tight," Ryan said, his face flushed as well and his voice husky. "I should've done this a long time ago."

"If I'd known you knew how to give great massages, I would've let you," Troy said, panting. "Gabi or no Gabi."

"Well, with that kind of stress in your life, it's no wonder your muscles are this tight," Ryan said, kneading his hands over Troy's bare back, which glistened with the massage oil that now sat discarded on the nightstand.

"Ryan, we have to talk about my…" Sharpay's insistent voice came as she barged into Ryan's bedroom, not bothering to knock. "Oh, God!" she screamed, covering her eyes. "I'm blinded by the gayness!" Troy's immediate reaction was to jump up in alarm, but Ryan's weight on his back prevented him from doing so.

"Grow up, Sharpay," Ryan said, rolling his eyes. "I'm giving Troy a back massage." He leaned forward to whisper in Troy's ear. "Unless you want Shar to see Troy Jr. down there, your best bet is to stay lying down until I can get rid of her." Troy just nodded emphatically; he was hard as a rock, and he did not want Sharpay to see him in that state. By the same token, Ryan was still leaning forward, to disguise his own erection from Sharpay's eyes.

"If you didn't want me barging in here, you should've locked the door," Sharpay said, as she opened her eyes. Her nails were held out in front of her, which Troy guessed meant that she had just painted them. Unfortunately, despite her earlier shrieks of being blinded, she seemed to be having no problems ogling Troy's half-naked and oiled-up body.

"Perhaps I figured that it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to realize that when your brother and his boyfriend disappear into his room, you probably don't want to see what they're doing in there," Ryan replied dryly. "Or," he added, a smirk on his face, "maybe this was all just a big plot to scar you for life, in hopes that you wouldn't just come in without knocking ever again."

"Whatever," Sharpay said, waving away Ryan's answer. "We need to talk about my upcoming prom queen election. I'm taking no chances here- I need to do whatever it takes to win over that Montez girl. I am the rightful Prom Queen, here, and I need you two to make sure that this election isn't stolen right out from under me."

The only response she got was two very loud groans from the two boys on the bed, as Ryan wearily collapsed on top of Troy. As far as Troy was concerned, after everything that had happened that day… if he ever heard prom mentioned again in his presence, it would be too soon.

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So, another chapter bites the dust. Fun times. As I never paid that much attention to how the nominees were selected for the homecoming courts and the like when I was in high school, I just kinda made it up. It's probably close, though, because for homecoming they just gave us the names of four couples and we voted for them. Prom seemed to divide up king and queen, though, so I made two separate ballots for that. That's what the plot required, so that's what I gave it.

I just want to say… the response from last chapter was phenomenal. I totally regret taking so long on this chapter, when it's clear to me that I have quite a number of fans out there. But when I have as many as I do, I have to make sure that I'm publishing quality product. I was hoping, at the time, to break the 300 review mark with Chapter 24. Yeah, so you guys helped me blow right past that mark, easily. Let's see how many we can gather before the story is done! Thank you so much for making it clear to me that this story is something special, and an experience that I shall never forget. Onward to Chapter 26, and the sleepover that Troy will never forget!

Squall Thrawn